Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-06
CLOTHES BY THE HOUR.

How the Impecunious Dude Manages to
Keep Up Appearances as to Dress.
"Ah! Chap! Is that one Of Fwank's?'
said one of those beings that give strong
reason to believe in the Darwinian theory
the other afternoon on Chestnut street
The object addressed was quite as nice an
''if'' as the one that spoke, and the cause
of the remark was one Of those coats in
tended for the spring trade but cut short
in its growth by the continued cold
weather.
''Yahs, deah boy. You see, it's bloom
in cold ter-day an made date with a
fairy to walk ter-day, an had to do it,
me boy"
"How hawd did he stwike ye, chappies'
Seventeen cents till 5 o'clock, an five
cents an howh aftah, but must be back,
ye know, and the posey cost two cents an
howh, an could only bowwah quawtaw
fwom my little sistah." Then they parted.
At o'clock. "Chappie'' was seen coming
down the street. He turned off Chestnut
street at Twelfth and went few doors,
rang bell, and entered a house. The
stroller followed it. In nicely fur
nished back room was seated well
dressed youth of 81 years of age. He
turned out to be 'Fwank." All around
the room were hung garments Of alb
shades and kinds, but all were II the
latest "English cut" Here ''C..~ppie"
carefully took off his coat, after II owing
the rose that nestled in the upper button
hole. The bill was twenty three cents.
'What calm l do faw We, chappie?"
was ''Fwank's" salHtatiOn as soon as the
wind had opened the door and cleared the
room.
''Well, this 'chappie' doesn't want any
thing, except to know little bit about
this industry of yours. Where do you
get these clothes hanging around here,
and is your business a fourishing sue
cess?''
At first there was an apparent indispo-
sition to answer, but it didn't take long to
make up the little mind possessed, and q
few startling facts were developed. The
details will not, however, be told in the
silly lingo of the informer.
The establishment has been in exist
ence nearly two years, and has been grow
ing rapidly ever since its organization.
The proprietor buys all kinds of fashion
able clothing from slender dudes whose
fathers give them plenty. When they
get hard up they go to ''Fwank's," and
there they receive very fair price for
their clothing. The cheap dude, that
stands on Chestnut street curb stones and
meanders dolefully up and down, wonder
ing all day when something is going to
happen to make it rich, SO it can enjoy
life like other Chaps or waiting for
some heiress to fall in love with its shape,
is the one that enriches "Fwank." This
branch of the "genus dudm'' seldom has
more than dollar at one time, but it
must make an appearance. So it goes to
''Fwank," and there it can get Ole of
those dickey ''top'' coats for 10 cents the
first hour and five cents an hour after.
On Saturdays and Sundays the price is
raised so per cent. Dress suits are hired
in the evenings for 40 cents. 1t often
makes them go broke for week on these
occasions. Trousers can be hired for
from to 8 cents an hour. No security
is required. On Saturdays "Fwank" buys
job lot stock of flowers, and hires them
out in lots ranging from to cents an
Philadelphia Times.